Shag is off this week, so Rob and returning guest star Michael Bailey (VIEWS FROM THE LONGBOX) share their thoughts on the new BATMAN V SUPERMAN trailer, which debuted at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con! Feel the rage!

As always, thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on these episodes! Opening theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic original closing theme! This episode brought to you in part by InStockTrades.com!

7 Comments

Rob’s passionate speculation about what he foresees for the end of this movie with the heroes coming together, united and comparatively sunny, almost turned me around on wanting to see this film. Almost.

I’m not trying to start an argument, but I am curious as to the idea of not “wanting” to see this movie. It’s Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg IN A MOVIE, how can any superhero comic fan not “want” to see it? Does it truly look THAT awful?

I can understand thinking that it doesn’t look good, but I can’t fathom that the sheer novelty of this movie’s content can’t override even the more dire predictions. Heck, I’m still pretty pessimistic about this whole approach, but, again–it’s Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg IN A MOVIE.

Well, well! This trailer really did make me sit up and go “Hmmmm. This looks interesting.” Same with the Suicide Squad trailer. Batman V. Superman – geez I really dislike that title, though – looks much better now with trailer #2. Similar to you, Rob, I also tend to lean towards taking a skeptical look at things and being a bit less positive than I’d really like to be (I’m working on it!), so I had a feeling I’d be underwhelmed with this trailer but lo and behold it really impressed me! I think it ticked off several geek fan must-haves – seeing Batman and Superman on screen together for the first time in a film?? Check! Seeing Wonder Woman on screen in a film AND seeing her looking absolutely fantastic?? Check! My lord Gadot looks the part, huh?? I could go on but suffice it to say I agree with you two gents on most all of your points about this trailer.

I do need to watch it again though because I totally missed the Robin stuff. And I didn’t know Jena Malone was going to playRobin! Carrie Kelly Robin, I assume? Again, good casting.

A few months back I kind of peed in my buddy Rob’s Cheerios and doubted that the big guns of the DCU were going to hold hands and sing Kumba-yai at the end of this film. The first trailer REALLY put me off, based on the treatment of Superman more than anything.

Trailer #2 gave me “S”…or hope. I can see that lighter ending here. As Rob said “it’s darkest before the dawn”…of justice, perhaps. I think this trailer was more fair, showing that some folks still look to Superman as a hero, and he’s not “the bad guy” in this film, as the first trailer seemed to paint him. That rocket rescue is very impressive, and VERY Superman, indeed. I’m with Michael, I interpreted Martha’s speech just as he did. As a parent, I can tell you, you start throwing off on my kid, you’re off the Christmas card list, or worse.

I can also understand Batman’s motivation far better. Who can blame Bruce Wayne for being distrustful of Superman after living through the battle in Metropolis? I wasn’t totally against Affleck, but any trepidations I had about his casting went away with the Bruce Wayne’s scenes. And even from the first trailer and pics, the one saving grace of the film for me was that they finally got Batman’s costume right, after 26 years of films. I caught the Robin costume right away, but doubted myself until a second watch. VERY interesting.

Gal Gadot shut up her critics by owning her Wonder Woman scenes. Damn!

Good to see Cavill’s Clark Kent too. It’s odd to think this is the most traditional Superman we have right now. Shame on you, DC. Shame.

I know where is a group of fanboys who think this whole storyline was cooked up AFTER the negative reaction to the destruction at the end of MoS. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I have to assume they couldn’t have gotten this together this quickly if they didn’t have a plan like this at least in the embryonic stages, but who knows.

I’m still not 100% on the creatives behind this film, but I was going to see it anyway, and now actually look forward to it, rather than dread it on some levels. I only hope the promise of this new trailer is carried through and we do get a more positive future for the cinematic DCU.

Oh, and Jesse Eisneberg’s supposedly “grounded” Lex Luthor seemed to be the weakest link in the movie from the perspective of this trailer. I get the kind of freaky, odd angle he’s coming from, but good gravy that wig looked awful. He just looked kooky!

To be clear, I’m not suggesting any of my rosy scenarios are GOING to play out, it’s just this trailer tells me there’s a chance it COULD play out that way, which would mean retroactively that this dark dark dark path was on purpose, and was designed to take the audiences on this journey.

It could be a lot like the first IRON MAN, in that on top of the movie being good, it was simply an entertaining novelty to see the character in live action for the first time. But by the time of the second and third films, IMO the character novelty had worn off and it was up to the movies to be good (which I didn’t think they were).

Unless BvS is a complete disaster, I am sure a part of me will love it simply because I’m seeing THE FRIGGIN’ SUPER FRIENDS in live action for the first time. But of course the movie will have to be good for it to withstand repeat viewings and/or sequels/spin-offs.

I posted my immediate response to the trailer on Facebook, but here’s the gist of why—at the moment—I plan to stay home next March when the movie comes out.

I never saw Sam Cooke perform live in concert. That’s an unfortunate reality I must live with. Let’s say tomorrow Lil Wayne announces he’s doing a show covering Sam Cooke’s Greatest Hits set to dubstep with auto-tuned vocals. That’s not what I asked for. That’s not what I want.

I don’t want a Superman who learned nothing but fear and self-preservation from his parents. I don’t want a Batman whose costume makes him look fat and old. I don’t want a Lex Luthor whose voice cracks like a kid on a witness stand pointing out the camp counselor who molested him.

There is nothing in the trailer—not period one period thing period—that convinced me the movie will give me versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman that I want to see. And I’m simply not hungry enough to settle for bastardized versions of my childhood heroes.

My needs don’t outweigh my desires.

I would rather never see a movie with Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman and Aquaman all together, than see one I hated.

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